offer himself as an informant for russia, such allegations a rap, says jim, and just administer marco bush, mount lives. these are far it is to this case is extremely exceptional, but we cannot turn a blind died 2 such cases. we must be vigilant device, sons, auntie of acres. in general, we're grateful for the enormous loyalty and exemplary performance of the members of the buddhist span. the sauce banks, initial email contact with russian diplomats, was immediately flag bios doherty's, according to the spiegel, it's believed the intended sensitive information to be handed to russian intelligence. that could include details of elements, projects, technical information about weapon systems like f, $35.00 fighter jets, which the gym and air force as ordered from the us would certainly be of interest to russian military intelligence. russia has repeatedly focused its espionage activity on germany. one of ukraine's major suppliers last year, a cd, a foreign intelligence official, was detained for leaking details to moscow about the system monitoring russian military tactics on the battle front

myself, marco, jeb bush, john kasich, in not going after donald trump.e all were under the illusion that somehow what was obvious us to at the moment, that there were better candidates on the stage than him would be obvious to the public. it wasn't, and i think it should inform everybody's approach to the race this time. it certainly is informing mine. >> jonathan: the first primary debate's obviously ten days away. you're going to be there. we don't know if you will have a chance to take on donald trump, because he hasn't said if he's going to be there. this pledge is out if the rnc, and we see the language of it, they're requiring everybody to sign -- i want to put it if you were for a moment here. it says, i will support the nominee and will not seek to run as an independent. trump says he won't sign the pledge. do you think the rnc would really keep him off the debate stage if he doesn't sign? they would keep the front-runner off the stage? >> i do. i do think they would. i think that they are serious about wanting this pledge signed, and i think the

or jett bush with marco rubio.ainly is a different approach. >> martha: thank you, always good to see you. selena zito joining us from the "washington examiner" and just off the campaign trail. take a look at this. law enforcement sources sa these images show suspected mexican cartel gunmen in texas, in the united states, carrying rifles, wearing body armor. live at the border in eagle pass, texas, where people are reacting to this news. that they've got cartel members on their side of the border now. >> this is exactly why we often hear border patrol agents telling us border security is national security. these images are startling. i've told my sources that they happen saturday night in the rio grande valley. take a look at what they show, it is a drawbridge camera, showing a group of suspected cartel gunmen crossing illegally into texas. it's a heavy cartel area. they are armed with a or 15 style rifles. some of them are wearing body armor as they move through the brush, on the u.s. side of the border. i am told

i'll tell you something, if you want to know what a failure that strategy is, talk to me or jeb bush or marcoonald trump to falter and for something to happen where he is not in the race. they are hoping they can slide by and be next in line to be that heir apparent to him. every single republican i have spoken to says that the stakes are highest for ron desantis. he has had a floundering campaign, a very tough summer. he's had a reset. donors have fled his campaign. his poll numbers have sagged. so out of all the candidates, most of them, tim scott, asa hutchinson, others, are trying to introduce themselves to voters to get more voters to know them. but for ron desantis the stakes are extremely high. >> then, of course, as i mentioned, the trump factor. rick santorum who also ran for president said the following. it's really hard to run against a martyr, all these things that these indictments bring with them are almost off limits because it looks like you're piling on. think about that, and i also want to bring in some reporting from elena treene talking about the fact that members of the t

if you want to know what a failure that strategy is, talk to me or jeb bush or marco rubio. >> congressmane is one of the few candidates on the stage tomorrow night that has adopted that strategy of going directly after trump. and the reward has been single-digit support. but you believe there's still a path broad enough for a republican not named donald trump. >> well, i do. i believe there's a path big enough if, you know, some people start speaking out. if you just have one person speaking out or two, you can kind of point to them as outliers. you know, that's just asa and chris christie. if more people join, then all of a sudden the base looks at that and goes okay, there's a real problem here because the people we trust are telling us there's a problem. so eventually we believe there may be. i think that's part of the issue is just like you know, we've got a few people that are willing to speak out, some aren't willing to speak out. and the great thing about that line you just had with chris christie, he was there. we all remember, we all can think back to 2016 when -- i was guilty of

if you want to know what a failure that strategy is, talk to me or jeb bush or marco rubio. >> what doou think about that assessment? >> once again governor christie couldn't be any more spot on with his assessment of the situation. right? i just don't see a winning strategy for playing nice with the situation that donald trump's created around himself and the party. you've got to go right at him. you've got to call him out for lying to republicans and for essentially bankrupting our party. the fiscal responsibility in our party. and last but not least the winning percentage of our party. chris christie, here's a guy who's on the surface 20 points behind in new hampshire. but there's only 300,000 people that are going to vote in that primary. if he can find 30,000 people that really believe a 91 indictment charge against donald trump is a reason to not be the next president, he's got a chance to be break even with him after a news cycle or a debate or just a few good stories. >> errol, trump's biggest challenger says he's doing a disservice to his voters by skipping the debate. i want

and debates, you couldn't actually tell sometimes who is speaking, why there was jeb bush or donald trump, for marco immigration is bad. he'd have these digressions that were part of the package. and then attacks. come 2020, as you know, he short-circuiting. talking to joe biden on stage, he has nothing to say except what he's upset about. and that's gonna be the case now whether it's onstage or not. i would make that's something to hit. >> if you're chris christie we kind of know what your strategy to be, bring up trump as much as possible, isa hutchinson will attack. trump if you are these other candidates, i assume you advise them to attack trump and draw a contrast. what else can they do to have a moment at this debate? >> first off, it sounds defeatist and not ambitious, these guys need to get ready to just be there. these are people that have a lot of cobwebs, desantis debated a year ago on the reelection. pence did three years ago. chris christie hasn't debated in seven years. nikki haley in eight years. it's a perishable skill if you don't keep at it. it's weird, it's the first time will be

bush's position, marco rubio's position, but she is losing. that is not the winning position with the base of the party right now. when i was in iowa, i was struck by so many republicans that it is not about putin, not about ideology, not even about america's leadership in the world, it is that they feel that they are getting screwed by washington and yet washington keeps sending money to other places, not them. that is more what it is about. it is, like we have been ignored, and we keep sending our money to other places. so, she is trying to have an american leadership in the world against the communists, i against the murder, against the thug. the fact is she is right, but it rings hollow with republican voters who think, you are just another politician. what about my community? >> absolutely. >> the song that i referenced in the beginning of this, i said before this debate started, i said, i wonder when the first reference to richmond it will take place. i didn't realize that fox had raised. it to the point that john is making, a lot of ame

bush administration. i worked with senator marco rubio forrn years. what i found in all of the policy jobs i held in washington was out far too many people in the government and the national security apparatus, they lose spite of who they work for and why, whether it is the president or senator they are in that position. they are the ones elected. it is ultimately their voice. most of the people elected for the right reasons. the public put their confidence in them for the right reason. a lot of the process is necessary. ultimately many staffers i think strive to box in their principles, to moveim their principles through something like a speech writing process. they forget fundamentally where their bosses vision is, the instincts. i had many personal experiences in myy short time. we went debate for hours over e-mail or days about a speech. and then you would put it in front of your boss and they would quickly resolve all of the issues because it was not even a question for them. from what i read in your account it sounds like the speech was one of t

bush administration, but i worked with senator marco rubio for years, i wrote my share of speeches with him. what i found, in all of the policy jobs i held in washington, was that far too many people in the government, and in the national security apparatus, they lose sight of ultimately, who they work for, and why, whether it's the president or a senator, they are in that position. they were the ones elected, it is all ultimately their voice. most of those people were elected for the right reason. the public put their confidence in them, for a certain reason. and, a lot of the process is necessary. but, ultimately many staffers i think, strive to box in their principles. to move their principles through something like a speech writing process. and they forget, fundamentally, where their bosses vision is, where the bosses instinct is. and i had many personal experience, even in my short time -- and working in the senate, where we would debate for hours over email, or days about a speech. and then, you would put it in front of your boss. and, they would simply resolve all of the issues.

bush's position. she's arguing marco rubio's position. but she is losing. that is not the winning position with the base of the party right. now when i was out and iowa sharp is only republicans -- it is not so much about putin. it's not about ideology. it is not even about america's leadership in the world. it is that they feel that they are getting screwed by washington and yet washington's keep sending money to other places, not them. that's more what it is about. it's that we have been ignored. and we keep sending your money in other places. so, she is trying to -- >> -- >> he is trying to have an american leadership -- on the facts, she is right. but it rings hollow in republican voters who just think, you are in other politicians. what about my community? >> absolutely. the song they reference here at the beginning this -- i said before this debate started -- i said, i want to win the first reference to richmond north of richmond is going to take place -- to the point john is making, a lot of americans feel that way. that is why the song was so wildly

you can call jack smith deranged, make fun of him the way you did of jeb bush or marco rubio, but once the law on his side and operates with procedure, you're going to look like the bad guy. the beauty of this is we're going to have a concession speech basically on television in the form of a trial. i think that's something trump is scared to death of, where he sits in the defendant's booth in that desk and he has to act like a defendant in a criminal case. >> chris, you and i have been around politicians in washington for a very, very long time. i'm just curious, we finally got ron desantis yesterday to say, of course donald trump lost, but this is something the majority of republicans don't want to say. usually they only say it when they have no shot at winning a primary. >> when they're on their way out the door like mitt romney. okay, i can leave the room now and speak honestly. but these guys have an oath too. i do think this idea of, okay, you're donald trump, you're watching election reports coming in from arizona and fox tells you you lost there and then you look at wisconsin a